


A Pearl of Great Price

by ValancyStirling



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-15 06:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21248771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValancyStirling/pseuds/ValancyStirling
Summary: Billy confronts Anne in the Haunted Wood shortly after episode 6. Yet again, Gilbert comes to her rescue, only to figure out that it is he who needs to be rescued.





	1. Enter the Dragon

“Good morning trees! I love you dearly,” Anne cried as she approached the haunted wood. She would usually meet up with Dianna at this point, but Anne had important work to do. The Queen’s entrance exam was in less than a week, and she was meeting up with Miss Stacy to get one more geometry review session before the big day.

Anne often imagined she was the queen of the wood nymphs and the haunted wood her palace. Today was no exception. She paused to breathe in the sweet smell of balsam. “Does anything smell as delicious?”

“Who are you talking to, freak?” A voice bellowed from behind her.

Anne could feel every hair on the back of her neck stand straight. Billy. 

“What brings you out her so early?”

Anne swallowed the lump in her throat. “Miss Stacy is expecting me at school any minute right now. I’m preparing for the Queen’s entrance exam.”

“Queens? You need obedience school not Queens. Ruff! Ruff”

Anne began to shuffle more quickly down the wood path.

“Hey! Too good to talk to me? Listen, we have a score to settle. You embarrassed me at the barn dance. Accusing me of being improper with Josie. You just can’t keep that filthy orphan mouth of yours shut.”

Anne picked up her pace, but Billy began to run. Before she could get any further, Billy lurched, spun her around, and wedged her up against a tree.

“That’s right, you look at me when I’m talking. You’re probably not used to getting much attention from a gentleman – who would give a piece of orphan trash like you the time of day.”

Anne began to cry – half out of anger, half out of fear.

“Stop crying. I’ll give you something to make you feel better. You’re not much to look at, but you’re probably good for something.”

Billy shoved her body more forcefully against the tree. His hand ran down her side and he started to pull up her skirt.

“Now this skirt is an invitation.”

“Stop! Help! Someone!”

Billy covered her mouth while he continued to lift her skirts. “Who’s going to come and save you? Blythe went and found himself a real woman. Not some scrawny mutt like you.”

A fire ignited in Anne. She mustered all her strength and kicked him in the shins. Her knee thrusting into his pelvis. Billy fell to the ground. Anne began to run. 

“Do you actually think you can outrun me?” Screamed Billy. He rushed after her and violently grabbed her by the braid and shoved her to the ground. 

Still she would not relent. Kicking and screaming she managed to get to her feet and keep running. She glanced behind her, Billy was still in pursuit, albeit limping, but he was gaining ground. 

Anne ran into a tall figure who immediately held her close.

“Blythe, you have to watch out for this one, she’s feisty.”

“What are you doing Billy?”

“Teaching this piece of trash a lesson. She’s a lying little … slut.”

The word cut through Anne’s soul. There it was. The word. The word men had used for centuries to immediately disarm and discredit a woman. A word uttered by only the weakest of men, but a word the hurt nonetheless.

Anne could feel Gilbert clench her tighter. “I told you once before to leave Anne alone.”

“Why do you care? You have that Charlottetown girl on your arm now. What use do you have for this ugly mutt? Unless, ahh, I get it now, she doesn’t fight when you want it. Marry the lady, trash the tramp. Blythe, you’re smarter than I give you credit for.”

Gilbert let go of his hold on Anne and she crept around to stand behind him. Just peering out enough to see Billy’s face.

“She’s ugly as sin, but she’s probably good to learn on, hey bud.”

Gilbert tensed is jaw, “I also told you to never call me bud.”

Gilbert leaped at Billy.

“Gilbert, it’s not worth it,” cried Anne. “Not now, at least.”

Gilbert relented, “I’m not finished with you, Andrews, but Anne’s more important now.”

For a few moments they walked in silence until Anne began to whimper.

Gilbert gently put his arm around her. “It’s okay, you’re safe now. I’ll walk to and from school for as long as it takes. I’ll also deal with Billy. He needs to be stopped.”

“Thanks,” Anne sniffled. “I can’t help but believe that there is some truth to what he said. Not the … ‘experienced’ … part, but what he said before. I am an unlovable, ugly, orphan.” Anne erupted into tears. The burden she was carrying ever since she opened her heart to the possibility that Gilbert could love her finally became too heavy and she crumbled.

Gilbert was dumbfounded, “Anne so many people love you: Matthew, Marilla, Dianna, Delphine, Bash. Heavens, even Mrs. Rachel Lynde has warmed up to you!”

“You have no idea, do you? I know they love me. But no one will ever 'love me', love me, like in a romantic way. I’m not glamourous. I’m not beautiful. I’m not someone to be desired…” Anne’s words melted into low growling sobs coming from a place deep within. A place where she held her wildest dreams and deepest fears. “Oh Gilbert, you have no idea what it’s like to be ever so homely and undesirable.”

Gilbert drew her close. After her sobbing subsided he pulled back and stared into her steel grey eyes. “Someday, someone is going to admit that they are head over heels for you. He’s going to fall in love with your fiery red hair and your fiery red passion. He is going to drown in your deep blue eyes and dream of every freckle on you ‘perfectly pointed nose.’ He will appreciate every story, every folly, every lineament flavoured cake…” He smirked, remembering how Mary would have laughed at Anne’s predicament at the fair. “You will become the most fascinating creature in his world.” He stopped, realizing that these words flowed so easily from his heart.

“It’s nice of you to say that. And you may be right. The ocean is vast, and many are the fish. Perhaps I am someone’s fish.”

“More like a pearl of great price.” Gilbert gazed at her longingly, smiled, and gently wiped a tear from Anne’s soft cheek. He felt an ease sweep over his body, like he had finally found home. He counted again, the seven perfect freckles that adorned her perfectly pointed nose. How did he know that there were exactly seven?

Anne cracked a tiny smile - "pearls are rather romantic."

It was there and then he vowed that he had already hated this man. This man who would sweep Anne off her feet and take her away from him.


	2. Enter the Dragon Slayer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne has a surprise visit from a kindred spirit. A kindred spirit who reminds her that she can slay her own dragons.

Anne and Gilbert spoke very little on the rest of their walk to school. When they arrived, Anne was surprised to see that Dianna had already been waiting for her on the step.

“Anne! I have the most fantastical surprise for you.” Shouted Dianna as she ran to meet her bosom friend. She stopped in her tracks when she caught a glimpse of Anne’s flushed face and bloodshot eyes. “What’s wrong, Queen Anne?”

“Billy confronted me in the woods again. This time it was much more horrific than the last. I managed to fight him off and then, well, Gil came to my rescue.”

Gilbert’s heart fluttered. He would slay any dragon who endangered Queen Anne. 

“Anne, I’m so sorry that this happened. He really is a monster. However, providence is still in your favor. Auntie Jo came to visit yesterday evening and she brought a visitor.”

Before Dianna could finish her sentence, a tall, well dressed, extremely handsome, boy, no, man emerged from the school house.

“Cole!” Anne ran into his arms. “Providence indeed! Avonlea’s prodigal son has returned.”

“Anne, what exactly happened with Billy this morning?”

Anne tried her best to recount what had happened in the woods. Gilbert too was shocked at what had transpired before he arrived on the scene. His blood began to boil.

“Anne, as God is my witness, we shall deal with this Billy situation once and for all. No one hurts my Queen Anne. No one. Period.”

Gilbert, stay here with Dianna, we’re going to the Andrews’ homestead.

“Are you sure that that’s the right thing to do,” enquired Gilbert.

“It most certainly is! He needs to know that there are consequences to his actions.” Cole stood taller, offered his arm to Anne, and they were off

Dianna sighed, “I have had never seen Cole act this valiantly. Then again, Anne means the world to him.”

Gilbert wondered if this was the man who would sweep her off her feet, but instead of hating him, Gilbert began to hate himself for not acting so valiantly.

…

It was not long before Cole and Anne reached the Andrews’ home.  
“Maybe this was a bad idea,” commented Anne as they walked up the stairs to the veranda.

“No, this is the best idea I’ve ever had.” Cole was exuding confidence at this point. He rapt on the door.

A slender, fair haired woman opened the door. “Anne! Cole! What brings you here so early? Why aren’t you at school?”

“Prissy, I wish we could stay and chat, but we have important matters to address with Billy.”

“He’s in the back farmland – the fool started to build a house for himself and Josie, but now it’s just a foundation and a pile of lumber. I’ve chastised him to no end for how he handled the situation with Josie, but he’s been unresponsive to any of my lectures. My idiot of a brother has ruined just about any chance of finding a wife on this island.”

Prissy’s words were strong, but she had gained a new perspective on all things feminine since bolding leaving Mr. Phillip’s at the alter and pursuing her studies at Queen’s.

“Can you point us in that direction, it is of utmost importance that Anne and I speak with him.” 

“Of course, it’s just there, on the hilly bit right before the stream.”

“Let’s go, Anne.”

There was a quickness in Cole’s step and Anne had to almost run to keep up with him. Finally they reached the foundation. They could hear the sound of someone chopping wood. They followed the sound until they saw Billy working beside a perfectly stacked pile of wood.

“Billy,” shouted Cole.

Billy swung the axe into the chopping block and turned to face Cole and Anne. He quickly wiped his eyes and nose with his shirt.

“What do you want?” Billy asked coldly.

Cole began, “I asked you a long time ago to consider why you always want to hurt people. Do you remember?” 

“Faintly.”

“Well, why is that? Why did you confront Anne this morning? Why did you spread such a filthy rumor about Josie? Why did you intentionally strike my ladder before the Christmas pantomime?”

Billy froze. Anne was convinced that he would come back with a snide remark, but he remained silent.

“Why are you filled with so much hatred? As furious as I have been and continue to be with you, I can’t help but feel sorry for you. Your close-mindedness and disregard for anyone who may be different than you is only going to result in you being alone for the rest of your life. Even your own sister is disgusted by your actions!”

Billy opened his mouth to speak but only gasped for air. He looked at Anne, and then back at Cole. Still completely silent.

Cole’s monologue had renewed Anne’s confidence. “You’ve shut out any light from entering your world. Josie thought the world of you. She was besotted. She spoke so highly of you. Love shone in her eyes at the very mention of your name, but now it has vanished.”

Billy’s eyes became daggers, but was still unable to speak.

“And you had no right to do what you did to me in the forest. You had no right of accusing Gilbert and I of inappropriate behaviour. You had no right to call me a tramp, a slut, a dog…” Anne stood up a little straighter. “For I am, and will never be, any of those things.”

Billy’s eyes welled up with tears. Anne was unsure if they were a result of utter sadness or intense rage.

Finally, Billy spoke. “You know why I come back here? You think I want to remind myself that this house will never be a home? You think I want a constant reminder that the home I was building for Josie and I will never be? You know she wanted the attic space to be filled with floor to ceiling bookcases. She wanted a library for her and… and… the children. I bet she would have even invited you over, since you seem to like books so much. You would probably do your best to be cordial to me in spite of how many times I have wronged you, and you would sit on the window sill and read and read and read. But there will never be a library. No books. No children. No Josie. No, I had to go and ruin that. I tend to ruin everything.”

Billy stared past Anne and Cole at the place where he intended to build his house of dreams and continued, “I come back here to escape, I chop wood for the hearth that will never be lit. But you know what I can never escape from? Me. I know that I’m becoming… I am… a monster. Yeah, you think you’re the only one who thinks that way about me?”

“I do feel sorry for you, but it by no means excuses you from your behaviour.” Anne responded.

“Yeah, you would feel that way. People treat you … I treat you like trash, but you always seem to find a way to be compassionate. I never understood that about you. You have every reason to be angry with the world, but you see the good though all the bad.”

“Billy,” Anne suggested with resolve. “You need help.”

Billy stood cold. “I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first piece of fan work. Please offer your comments and/or constructive criticism. Thank you for reading!


End file.
